Alvarez, allies batting for De Vera as House minority leader
Former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. (AP file Photo)
Former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and his allies have elected ABS Rep. Michael Eugene De Vera as their House minority leader, Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas said on Thursday.
Fariñas said they unanimously elected De Vera as their new minority leader during the group’s meeting at 9:00 a.m.
The group now has 13 members which include the three, as well as Reps. Rodito T. Albano III, Juan Pablo P. Bondoc, Monsour T. Del Rosario, Ruwell Peter S. Gonzaga, Roger G. Mercado, Mauyag B. Papandayan, Jr., Aileen C. Radaza, Lucy Torres-Gomez, Arnel U. Ty and Reynaldo V. Umali.
It was former Majority Leader Fariñas who said De Vera should be the new minority leader because the latter abstained in the voting for the speaker.
READ: Fariñas: De Vera should be acting minority leader
De Vera was deputy minority leader of Quezon 3rd District Rep. Danilo Suarez’s minority group before the change of leadership and the squabble in the minority leadership occurred in the lower chamber.
READ: House squabble shifts to minority leader position
On Wednesday, Suarez admitted that he was hurt that De Vera abandoned their group.
READ: Suarez ‘hurt’ that De Vera abandoned their minority bloc
Aside from De Vera and Suarez, Marikina 2nd District Rep. Romero Quimbo, a Liberal Party member, is also claiming to be the rightful leader of his minority bloc, which includes lawmakers from the Magnificent 7 and Makabayan opposition blocs.
Quimbo’s group has 26 members, while the Suarez group has 20 members as of Wednesday.
Quimbo’s group is composed of the following lawmakers:
From the Liberal party: 1. Minority Leader Quimbo 2. Cavite 1st District Rep. Francis Gerald Abaya 3. Quezon 2nd District Rep. Vicente Alcala 4. Zamboanga del Norte 3rd District Rep. Isagani Amatong 5. Dinagat Islands Rep. Kaka Bag-ao 6. Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat 7. Quezon City 23s District Rep. Bolet Banal 8. Quezon City 6th District Rep. Kit Belmonte 9. Capiz 1st district Rep. Emmanuel Billones 10. Camarines Sur Rep. Gabby Bordado 11. Northern Samar 1st District Rep. Raul Daza 12. Pangasinan 4th District Rep. Toff de Venecia 13. Caloocan City 2nd District Rep. Edgar Erice 14. Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman 15. Negros Oriental 1st District Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong 16. Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato
Makabayan bloc: 17. Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas 18. Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao 19. ACT-Teachers Rep. France Castro 20. Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus 21. Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago (Party-List) 22. ACT-Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio 23. Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate
Independent: 24. Anak Mindanao Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan (Anak Mindanao Party-List) 25. Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin (Akbayan Party-List) 26. Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano
Suarez’s group meanwhile consists of the following: 1. Rep. Suarez 2. ACTS OFW Rep. John Bertiz III 3. Coop Natcco Rep. Anthony Bravo 4. Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin, Jr. 5. Makati City 2nd District Julius Campos, Jr. 6. Aangat Tayo Rep. Harlin Abayon 7. Alona Rep. Anna Villaraza-Suarez 8. Butil Rep. Cecilia Chavez 9. Agri Rep. Orestes Salon 10. Kalinga Rep. Abigail Ferriol-Pascual 11. Laguna 1st District Rep. Arlene Arcillas 12. A Teacher Rep. Julieta Cortuna 13. Pasig Rep. Richard Eusebio 14. Agri Rep. Delphine Lee 15. Kabayan Rep. Ciriaco Calalang 16. Aasenso Rep. Teodoro Montoro 17. Yacap Rep. Benhur Lopez 18. Senior Citizen Rep. Milagros Aquino-Magsaysay 19. Surigao del Norte,1st District Francisco Matugas 20. Agbiag Rep. Michelle Antonio
/jpv, je
